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SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is an encryption-based security system for the Internet. Netscape was first developed in 1995 to offer privacy, authentication, and data integrity in Internet interactions. SSL was replaced with the currently in use TLS encryption. The SSL protocol encrypts the connection between a web server and a browser, ensuring the privacy and security of any data sent between them.
SSL provides a secure path for communication between two computers or other devices using the Internet or a private network. One typical example is using SSL to secure communication between a web browser and a web server. This converts the URL of a website from HTTP to HTTPS, where the “S” stands for “secure.”
Functioning of SSL/TLS
Data sent across the Internet is encrypted with SSL to provide a high level of privacy. Because of this, anyone attempting to intercept this data will only be able to decipher a jumbled collection of characters.
SSL initiates an authentication process known as a handshake to ensure that both communicating devices are truly who they claim to be.
SSL further checks digitally certified data to verify data integrity and ensure that it was not altered before it reached its intended recipient.
Are SSL and TLS interchangeable terms?
SSL is connected to TLS, a distinct protocol (Transport Layer Security). The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) suggested updating SSL in 1999. The name was changed to TLS because the IETF was now working on this update, and Netscape was no longer a participant. The name change was made to reflect the ownership shift even though there aren’t many significant differences between the final version of SSL (3.0) and the first version of TLS.
The two names are frequently confused and used interchangeably since they are so similar to one another. Due to SSL’s continued popularity, some still refer to TLS as SSL, while others use the phrase “SSL/TLS encryption.”
The Reason We Need SSL
Most of our daily transactions and communications, which take place online, have relatively few reasons not to use SSL. SSL is compatible with the following information security tenets:
Encryption:
Encrypt data transfers to safeguard them (e.g., browser to the server, server to server, application to the server, etc.)
Authentication:
Use authentication to confirm you are connected to the correct server.
Data integrity:
By ensuring data integrity, you can be sure that the data you request or are given is actually what you want.
Using SSL, you may secure:
- Transactions are made online using a credit card or another payment method.
- Internal networks, file sharing, extranets, and database access are all examples of intranet-based traffic.
- Exchange, Office Communications Server, and Outlook Web Access are webmail providers.
- The link between a mail server like Microsoft Exchange and an email client like Microsoft Outlook.
- When adding new pages or large files to their websites, website owners frequently use HTTPS and FTP services to transfer the files.
- System logins are required by applications and administrative interfaces like Parallels and cPanel.
- Workflow and virtualisation applications, such as cloud computing platforms or Citrix Delivery Platforms
